Milwaukee Urban Ecology Blog

I awoke alone just before sunrise, happy for the warmth of my sleeping bag. The eastern horizon was aglow where ocean met sky. Purple, peach and pink all mixed up into one intense remarkable color. I rolled over and rested my chin in my hands to take in the beauty before my eyes. There was hardly a breath of wind on the shore of this small, isolated cove on Isla Espiritu Santo in the Sea of Cortez. My mind was awake, open and clear. I heard a soft sound ... not so much an interruption, but an intrinsic part of the moment.

This month let's talk about prairie ecological succession. Succession is the observed change in a species structure of an ecological community over time. For the most part, this change is very slow and happens over the course of 100+ years! When talking about ecological succession, there are two different types of succession: primary and secondary. Primary succession happens when the starting landscape is devoid of vegetation and usually lacking soil, such as lava flows or areas retreated by glaciers. Secondary succession happens when the starting landscape is reduced from an event such as a fire.

I've just returned from spending 18 days in Alaska visiting a variety of destinations including Denali National Park and Preserve. I'm really excited to lead another Great Alaska Adventure from September 4 through the 13th, 2014. The Urban Ecology Center has put together a wonderful opportunity for friends of the Center to experience Alaska unlike any other tourist can. The reason I love going on this trip is one, autumn is the most beautiful time of the year, and two, I am able to show you some of my favorite spots in the world. I hope you can join us for this amazing trip of a lifetime.  

Once upon a time there was a ‘double wide’ parked under a tree in a corner of Riverside Park near the high school.  It was an ‘office’ and classroom meeting space.  What was it called? “Riverside Urban Ecology Center” and it housed a staff of 1 and ½, both part time.   A board made up of highly dedicated community people had been working toward the goal of establishing such a center and called on the science staff at the high school to be among the first consultants.

The Galapagos Finches were crucial to Darwin’s understanding of natural selection and evolution, but did you know that evolutionary scientists have been studying a more common and locally distributed species for over a century? Learn more about the extraordinary importance of this ordinary bird as we screen the film Ordinary Extraordinary Junco.

Here at the Urban Ecology Center, we're celebrating the Earth all month long with different events, activities and programs that highlight earth-related themes. This week, let's focus on our Riverside Park branch theme, WATER. Not only are we excited about this topic, but two of our amazing volunteers also wanted to get in on the action.  Two volunteers, Andrew and Patricia, took on their own water-themed experiement over the past week to see just how water conscious they could be!  Each volunteer tracked their shower water consumption and wrote about their experience. Read on to get some interesting insight on what they discovered!

Here at the Urban Ecology Center, we're celebrating the Earth all month long with different events, activities and programs that highlight earth-related themes. This week, let's focus on our Riverside Park branch theme, WATER. Not only are we excited about this topic, but two of our amazing volunteers also wanted to get in on the action.  Two volunteers, Andrew and Patricia, took on their own water-themed experiement over the past week to see just how water conscious they could be!  You've already read Andrew's take on this experiment, so read on to get some interesting insight on what Patricia discovered!

Spring migration is one of the Research and Community Science Team's favorite times of year. For the fourth year in a row, we are hosting our Green Birding Challenge (GBC), the Team's signature annual fundraiser! Do you enjoy spending time outdoors hiking or biking, or just sitting and listening to the sounds of nature? If so, this year's GBC, held on Saturday, May 10th, is the event for you! Get out your walking shoes, dust off your lawnchair or pump up your bike tires and participate in a little competitive birding. Register a team for one of our four challenges: stationary birding, birding on foot, birding by bike, or a mini-challenge. Your participation will help us celebrate International Migratory Bird…

Since we've declared April to be Earth Month, we're celebrating different earth-related themes all month long. This week, let's take a look at our Washington Park branch theme, FOOD.  Because who doesn't love food?  Read on for a fun perspective on Learning Gardens from Washington Park's branch manager, Willie. Additionally, Erick, Washington Park's Community Program Coordinator, provides some foolproof tips and tricks for how YOU can start up and maintain your own garden at home!  

Our Washington Park branch manager, Willie Karidis is leading an eco-travel trip to Alaska in September. Since he is there visiting friends right now he created this little video inviting you to come with him in September. Doesn't it look great?